The First Americans

Nomads

• People who moved from place to place

Beringia

• Land bridge scientists believe early Americans migrated across from present day Siberia into present day Alaska

• Name comes from the fact that this path is now under the Bering Strait

Land Bridge Theory

• Theory that the first Americans arrived by crossing over the frozen Bering Straight on a land bridge known as Beringia

Migration

• A movement of a large number of people into a new homeland

Maize

• An early form of corn grown by Native Americans.

Carbon Dating

• A scientific method used to determine the age of an artifact

Federation

• A type of government that links different groups together.

Theocracy

• A society ruled by religious leaders.

Hieroglyphics

• Symbols or pictures that represent things, ideas and sounds

Mayan’s

• Capital city was Tikal (in present day Guatemala)

• Society was a theocracy• Became great astronomers because they

believed their gods were visible in the stars• Created 365 day calendar• Accurately predicted eclipses

Aztec’s

• Capital city was Tenochtitlan (in present day Mexico) was one of the largest cities in the world

• Built a land bridge to link their island to the mainland

• Filled in pieces of the surrounding lake with soil to grow their crops

• Sacrificed their prisoners of war to please their gods

Hohokam

• Lived in present day southern Arizona• Were experts at maximizing what little water

they had• Built hundreds of miles of irrigation channels

Four Corners

• Region of the United States where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona connect

Pueblo Bonito

• A large set of homes in New Mexico that resembles apartment buildings built by the Anasazi

Anasazi

• Lived in the “Four Corners” region of the United States

• Built Pueblo Bonito in New Mexico• Moved away from the region because of

droughts

Inuit

• Lived in the northwestern United States and Canada

• Built igloos• Made clothing and homes out of sealskin

because it was both warm and waterproof

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

• Ancient Incan city in the Andes Mountains in Peru

Inca

• Capital city was Cuzco (in present day Peru)• Believed their emperor was a descendant of

the sun god• Built cities for religious ceremonies (the

greatest example being Machu Picchu)